NEW YORK, NEW YORK - OCTOBER 12: Clayton Keller #9 of Utah Hockey Club celebrates his second period goal against the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden on October 12, 2024 in New York City. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
(Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
NEW YORK – Utah Hockey Club captain Clayton Keller took matters into his own hands in overtime to defeat the New York Rangers on Saturday.
Keller already had one goal under his belt in Madison Square Garden but as time ticked off the clock in OT, he added one more.
OH MY!
CLAYTON KELLER WINS IT IN OT! pic.twitter.com/VbVInbnHe1
— Utah Hockey Club (@utahhockeyclub) October 13, 2024
Speaking of adding to their stat line, Nick Schmaltz assisted on the game-winner for his third assist of the night.
Coming around from behind the net, Keller faked to the left and wrapped his shot over the shoulder of the goalkeeper into the top right corner.
The goal was Keller’s second of the night and third of the season.
KELLER SCORES AND UTAH WINS IN OT.
3-0!!!!!!#UtahHC
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) October 13, 2024
The Utah Hockey Club improved to 3-0 on the year with the win in MSG.
Up next, the squad will travel south down the East Coast to take on the Devils in New Jersey.
While it’s only been two games since the start of the new NHL season, the Utah Hockey Club has been one of the hottest teams offensively in the league.
According to Captain Clayton Keller, Utah has found success by going back to the basics and executing inside close to the net.
With 10 goals in two games, Utah is tied with the Boston Bruins for the third most goals in the NHL. A season ago, it took the Coyotes four games to reach 10 goals as they were shut out once and only scored a single goal against the Rangers during that same stretch.
So, what’s working for the Utah Hockey Club early on this season? Aside from Dylan Guenther being an absolute menace offensively, Keller says it’s been their ability to get inside and return to the basics that has yielded an onslaught of goals through the first two games.
Through 2 games, the UHC is one of the top scoring teams in the NHL.
Clayton Keller said it’s been all about the basics and getting inside to create opportunities.#UtahHC pic.twitter.com/9pURq1xEx1
— Cole Bagley (@BagleyKSLsports) October 12, 2024
“Just getting to the inside and a lot of traffic as well,” Keller said. “We started off camp a little slow getting inside and just trying to make plays every time. We’ve kind of simplified it down a little bit and just going back to the basics. When you do that, the other plays open up. We’re going to continue to that, especially tonight.”
If you go back and watch the 10 goals Utah has scored, they’ve all come relatively close to the net with a plethora of bodies in front. Guenther’s first came near the top of the slot, Keller’s was on the doorstep, Barrett Hayton has scored twice on tips, Crouse netted one from the slot against the Islanders and Josh Doan tied the game late by crashing the net hard.
